Card punch



July 30, 1946. REMBQLD 2,404,985

CARD PUNCH Filed Oct. 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ALBERT I)- Pan/150141 QTTOPNEYS July 30, 1946. A. A. REMBGLD 2,404,935

CARD PUNCH Filed OC'C. 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 4O 54 55 HLBEAT 0. Panama 4,7 1,, Mfr

Patented July 30, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARD PUNCH a bertap mb ia, San Francisco, c ur. Application foctober 21, 1944, seria no. 559,694

15 =Glaims- .This invention relates :to a'punch m 'slotting out-perforations insortlng'lcards generally of the type shown-in'iny United States Letters'Patent No. 2,339,519, issued January 18; 1944, although certain features of the'inve'nti'on are applicable tocard punches-generallym i T In sorting cards or classifica tion 'cards of'the general type with which this-invention is princl-- pally concerned-the cards areformed' with coded perforations arranged in spaced, parallel rows adjacent to and 1 parallel with-one -'or more edges of each card. Certain of the-perforations'in one row oranother' are slotted-out to the edge of the card -adjacent'theieto according to the pattern of notches desired in the card edge. The patterns :difier with different classifications, and each new card relating to particular date or to a name or other classifiable information, must have predetermined perforations slotted out before the card is placed in a stack or file so as to enable' sorting out of said card by the use of conventional sortingimplements,

The formation of notches orfslots as shown in the aforesaid patentrequlresconsiderably more accuracythan in forming notches in cards commonly 'used prior to the structure disclosed in said patent, inasmuch as the slots or notches are of uniform width and are much wider than the diameter of the perforations to be slotted out, and the points where the end-of each slot joins the edges of the perforations must be uniformly the same and-quite accurate to prevent'iailure in the sorting'operation after the cards are slotted out.

One of the objects of this invention is th'e'pro vision of a punch for accurately slotting out perforations in sorting cards for forming notches generally as shown in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,339,519, of January 18, 1944.

'Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means for positioning and holding a sorting card during the slotting out of one of the-perforations along an edge thereof to said edge. Another object of the invention is the provision of a unitary, one piece, card cutting device-that includes the male and female elements, and which device is cheap to make and is moreaccurate and durable than heretofore. 1 I

Other objects and advantages will appea the description and drawings. i

In the drawings, 7

Fig, 1 is a. side-elevational view of a device showing one form of my invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view along line 33 of Fig. 1 showing the outline of the die member.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged plan view of a portion of a sorting card slotted out by the device of Fig. l.

- Figzfi is a .fragmenta perspective .view of a slightly difierentiorm of .ther'invention than .is shown intheipreceding views. f

Fig. .6" is'za ifragmentary, part sectional, part elevational rview lot; the apunch member and die .1, member of Fig." -1I in card :holding position preparatory to cutting out a slot to one edge of a card, the-latter-being shown in section.

Fig. Tis a sideelevational View of another. form of the invention than that of Figs.'1.-or 5, and

; which may be considered :to be the preferred form.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the punch illustrated in Fig. '7 as seen from the end opposite the handles:

Fig; 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the one piece replaceable cutting device that includes the male and female punch and die members. Airagment of a'card to be slotted out is indicated indot-dashline 'in position between said members."

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the cutting device of Fig. 9 reduced to the scale of Figs. '7, 8.

' In detail, the particular device herein illus trated in'Figs. 1,2 comprises a plier type punch having "handles, I, 2 pivotally connected by a the handles apart, and thereby yieldably holds the punch member and die member separated for receiving a card I therebetween.

The card I (Fig. 4) may be formed with one or more rows of equally spaced uniform sized perforations 8 along an'edge 9 thereof and parallel with said edge.- Prior to my invention as disclosed in the patent hereinbefore mentioned, it had been customary to slot out the desired openings in any row along lines extending divergently from opposite sides of such opening to the-edge of the card adjacent thereto, as in United States Letters Patent to Pierce No. 1,110,643, of September 15, 1914, or No. 1,260,705 of March 26, 1918. In some-instances openings in the card were slotted out along parallel lines extending directly to the adjacent edge of the card as shown in United;States Letters Patent to Robinson, No. 1,223,113,0f April 17, 1917.

-In the above noted examples variations occurring in the slotting out ofopenings, While undesirable, are ordinarily not as wholly undesirable as they would be in slotting out perforations in the manner shOWn in Fig. 4, particularly where the second or third row of openings from edge j 9 are slotted out. Fig. 4 only shows two rows,

but in my heretofore mentioned United States patent, No. 2,339.519, there are three rows.

The devices of Figs. 1 to 3 and 5 are adapted to accurately slot out any desired openings in card I along parallel lines extending midway between adjacent pairs of openings in the rows. The side edges of such slots are designated l (Fig. 4). Also the said devices produce aligned end edges ll extending from opposite sides of openings 8 parallel with edge 9 to the ends of the side edges IQ of each slot. To uniformly slot out openings in the first row nearest edge 9 or in the other row or rows more remote from said edge 9 so that end edges H will join the opening so slotted out at opposite sides thereof as seen in Fig. 4, particularly where a hand punch is employed, is readily accomplished by the devices illustrated.

The die member is formed with an oblong or elongated openin I2 providing elongated, spaced, parallel cutting edges l3 along opposite sides thereof. These edges will form side edges 19' of the notches in card 1 upon movement of the punch member 4 into opening l2, the said punch member being a male element of oblong or rectangular contour adapted to fit into the die member upon movement of handles I, 2 toward each other.

The end wall of opening l2 adjacent the nose or outer end of die member 5 is formedwith a recess l4 that opens into opening [2. This recess is adapted to receive a cylindrical projection [5 at the outer end of punch member 4, and aligned end cutting edges I6 (Fig. 3) extend from opposite sides of recess M to the ends of cutting edges 13 that are adjacent thereto, and are adapted to form end edges l l in card "I.

The edges of the punch member 4 that coact with edges 13 of the die member for shear-cutting of the slots or notches in card I extend divergently from the nose of the punch member relative to edges I3 in direction toward the handles so that the cutting of end edges II will be initially accomplished when a card is interposed between the die member and punch member and when the handles I, 2 are moved toward each other. Continued movement of the handles toward each other Will result in progressive cutting of edges to the edge of the card.

In order to insure the proper positioning of the card, the projection I5 is adapted to move into any one of the perforations 8, and said projection is preferably tapered as at I! (Fig. 6) from its outer end so as to facilitate its entering the. perforation. By the time the end cutting edges of the die member and the end edges of the punch member commence cutting the card to form end edges l l of the card, the projection has automatically functioned to accurately position the card for forming end edges 1 I.

Usually in slotting out openings in the row nearest the edge 9 of the card the operator can visually judge whether or not the punch and die members are positioned so that the side edges of the slot are at right angles to said edge 9. However, this is not so easy when slotting out perforations in the second row, but by providing stop member at the opposite sides of opening l3 so spaced from recess N that the edge 9 will engage said stop members 20 when projection I5 i in the perforation to be slotted out in said second row, the said card will be held against shifting on the axis of said perforation before and during cutting. Thus a three-point engagement with the card is provided, one of which (projection [5) functions to cause any slight shifting of 4 the card that may be necessary before the cutting operation begins.

In Figs. 1 to 3 the stop members 29 are rigid with the die member, while in Fig. 5 a modified form of stop member 2! is provided. This stop member 2| has legs frictionally held in grooves 22 formed in the die member for sliding longitudinally of opening l2. An indicator 23 rigid on said stop member is adapted to be aligned with a graduation 24 on the die member when said stop member is positioned for engaging edge 9 of the card during slotting out an opening in the row nearest edge 9. If the stop member is moved so that indicator 23 is aligned with graduation 25 the edge 9 ofv the card will engage the stop member when a perforation in the second row is being slotted out. If indicator 23 is moved to graduation 26, the device is adjusted for slotting out openings in a third row. A lip 2'! on each leg of the stop member is provided tofacilitate manual sliding of the stop member to any desired adjusted position.

The same members are used on the modified form of Fig. 5 to indicate parts that are identical with those of the preceding figures.

Referring now to the form of the invention as disclosed in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, the result of a punching operation by the die and punch members is identical with the result obtained from the forms of the invention already described. However, with this form of the invention it is found that an operator can readily slot out four or five cards at a time, which is frequently required, whereas with the punch of the previously described devices this can be done only with great difficulty. Other advantages will appear in the following detailed description.

The punch of Figs. 7, 8 comprises handles 3|,

- 32 pivotally connected by a pivot 33. Handle 3| carries both the male and female or punch and .die members at the side of pivot 33 opposite the handles.

The cutting device that includes the punch and die members is formed from a single, elongated, generally rectangular blank of metal. This blank is longitudinally slotted out along lines extending slightly convergently from one end of the blank, as indicated at 3.4 (Fig. 10) and at the convergent ends of said slots the metal is cut through along parallel lines 35 that are generally in longitudinal continuation of the slots, and the blank is also cut through along line 36 that connects the outer ends of lines 35 at right angles to the latter. 'Thus an elongated tongue 31 is formed in said blank connected at one end to an end of the latter and formed with a rectangular end portion 38 at the opposite free end thereof. This rectangular end portion is the punch member of the cutting device while the portion of the blank carrying the opening 39 (Fig. 9) from which the punch member 38 is cut is the female or die member 50.

The blank and tongue may be relatively and uniformly thin from said punch member to the end of the blank where the tongue connects therewith, while the punch member and the die member may be considerably thicker as best seen in Fig. 9.

The tongue 31 extends slantingly from its point of attachment to the blank to one side of the blank so that the punch member is spaced from opening 39, and the side of the Punch memher that faces said opening is formed with a projection 40 that faces said opening is formed with a projection 40 that is adapted to enter any one of the openings 8 in the card '1 (indicated in dot-dash line in Fig. 9). Also the P1111011 member 38 is preferably progressively thicker from the end adjacent the projection 40 toward the end that joins the tongue 31 so that the shearing action of side cutting edges of said punch member relative to thecorresponding cutting edges of the die member will be from the edge of card linwardly into the body of the card instead of the manner described for the punch of Figs. 1, 2.

At the end of the blank with which the tongue 31 is connected is an outwardly projecting por tion 4| that is adapted to extend between a pair of stop members 42 on the jaw .3 of handle 31 that projects from the side of pivot 33 opposite said handle. These stop members correspond with the members 20 of Fig. 1 and when the said portion 4| is between said stop member the side of the blank opposite that from which tongue 31 projects will lie flat against said jaw and may be secured thereto by screw 44 (Fig. 7).

The upper jaw 45 or the portion of handle 32 that projects from the side of pivot 33 opposite said hand-1e is adapted to swing between stop members 42 for engaging the punch member 38.

The blank including tongue 31 and punch member 38 is hardened and tempered so that said tongue and the thinned portion of the blank will form a pair of integrally connected leaf springs,

one carrying the die member and the other carrying th'punch member. The tongue 37 that carries the punch member will also function to yieldably hold the handles 3!, 32 spaced apart, but upon gripping the handles'and forcing them toward each other the punch member will be forced into the opening 38 in said die member and the spring tension during said movement is distributed through the tongue and the thinned portion 60 of the blank, thereby permitting the use of-a shorter tongue than would normally be necessary to preclude breakage of the tongue at its juncture with the portion 60.

Carried on handle 32 may be a projection 46 that extends toward handle 3| and which projection engages stop 41 on said handle St for limiting the movement of the jaws 43, 45 toward each other, thereby preventing any excessive strain on the tongue 31. This flexing of the tongue upon forcing the punch member 38 into the die member need be only that required to permit the cutting edges of the punch member to move past the corresponding cutting edges of the die member.

The jaw 43 of the punch may be formed with a conventional trap or cavity for holding the card or paper punchings resulting from operation of the punch, which trap is closed by the usual closure plate that is spring urged to closed position by a torsion spring 52 on the pivot 53 about which the plate is adapted to swing.

By reason of the foregoing, structure, the spring 6 as seen in Fig. 1 or its equivalent is no longer required in the form of invention illustrated in '7 to 10, inasmuch as the tongue 31 that carries the punch member 38 functions to hold the punch member spaced from the die member preparatory to a punching operation and at the same time yieldably holds the handles apart.

Furthermore, the punch-member and die member cannot possibly become misaligned irrespective of the degree of wear on pivot 33 or no matter how faultily the jaws 43, 45 may move relative to each other so long as the upper jaw is between stop member 42.

Heretofore when the punch or die member became so dull or worn as to no longer perform satisfactory work, it has been customary to replace the entire punch at considerable expense,

whereas with the invention of Figs. 7 to 10 it is only necessary to remove screw 44 in order to release both the punch and die member and to replace the worn members with a new one. As already pointed out, the condition of the punch handles, jaws and pivot is relatively immaterial to the operation of the punch and die member since these members are integrally united and the upper jaw merely serves as a lever for pressing against the punch member to force it into the die member, while the lower jaw merely holds the punch and the member. The action of the upper jaw on the punch member during punching operation is a sliding action. The upper jaw and punch member are not positively connected together and insofar as the punching operation is concerned the upper jaw can errgage the punch member at practically any point on its upper side.

It has already been mentioned that the punch of Figs. 7 to 10 readily cuts more cards or paper than is possible with the punch of Figs. 1, 2. In asmuch as it is customary for operators to overload conventional punches, which many times results in springing the punch and die member relative to each other, thereby practically ruining the punch, such overloading is immaterial with the punch of Figs. 7 to 16, since the tongue 31 is relatively short and misalignment or detrimental distortion of the punch and die member cannot occur with manual handling.

The invention of Figs. 7 to 10 is not limited to the slotting out of classification cards inasmuch as the improved structure is applicable to almost any type of punch. The form of the die and punch member may obviously be changed to produce the desired contour of perforation or slot.

I claim:

1. A device for slotting out perforations along an edge of a sortingcard to said edge comprising a die member having spaced cutting edges for forming the side edges of the respective slots to be formed and a complementarily formed punch member supported for movement into and out oi said die member to efiect the cutting of such slots when a card is interposed between said members, a projection on said punch member extending toward said die member arranged and adapted to pass into the perforation to be slotted out upon movement of said punch member toward said die member and before cutting of said slot whereby said projection will hold the perforation to be so slotted out in a predetermined position relative to said punch member and die member, stop means carried by said die member and spaced from said projection for engaging the edge of such sorting card at spaced points adjacent the perforation to be slotted out upon said projec tion entering such perforation, and means supporting said stop means for movement to various distances from said projection.

2. A device for slotting out any one of enclosed perforations along an edge of a sorting card to said edge comprising a die member having spaced straight parallel cutting edges for forming the side edges of the respective slots to be formed and a complementarily formed punch member supported for movement into and out of said die member to effect the cutting of such slots when a member and before cutting of said slot" whereby said projection will hold the perforation to be so slotted-out in a predetermined position relative to said punch member and die member.

3. A* device for-slotting out perforations along an edge of a sorting card to said edge comprising a die member and a punch member having complementarily formed shearing edges, means supporting said punch member for movement intosaid die member to effect cutting of each slot when a card is positioned between said members, card positioning means rigid with one of said members for movement therewith formed and accessible for insertion into the perforation to be slotted out in, advance of such movement and of the cutting of such slot, the cutting edges of said die member being parallel and extending away from said means and in a direction divergently relative to the complementarily formed shearing.

edges of said die member for progressively cutting a slot from each such perforation in direction from the perforation to the edge of the card that is adjacent thereto, and means adjacent the respective ends of said parallel cuttingedges that are remote from said card positioning means for holding the card to be slotted in a predetermined position against rotation of such card about the central axis of the perforation to be,

slotted out during said slotting operation.

4. A plier type punch for slotting out respective perforationspositioned along an edge of a sorting card to said edge comprising a pair of pivotally connected handles carrying .a punch member and a die member respectively, said die member having a generally oblong opening there'- in providing a pair of substantially parallel cutting edges adapted to form the side edges of each slot to be formed, said edges being spaced apart a greater distance than the: perforation to be slotted out, said punch member being generally oblong, and formed to fit into said opening to effect said cutting along the said cutting edges upon movement of said punch member into said opening, a projection at one end of said punch member projecting toward one end of said opening and formed to pass into the perforation to be, slotted out in advance of cutting by said cutting edges as said punch member i caused to move toward and into said die member, and means carried by one of said handles providing a stop adapted to be engaged by the edge of the card adjacent the perforation to be slotted outwhen such perforation is positioned to receive said projection.

5. A plier type punch for slotting out respective perforations positioned along an edge of a sorting card to said edge comprising a pair of pivotally connected handles carrying a punch member and a die member respectively, said die member having a generally oblong opening therein provid-' ing a pair of substantially parallel cutting edges adapted to form the side edges of each slot to be formed, said edges being spaced apart a greater distance than the perforation to be slotted out,

said 'punch member being generally oblong and formed to fit into said opening to effect said cutti g along the said cutting edges upon movement of said punch member into said opening, a projection at one end of said punch member projecting toward one end of said opening and formed to pass into the perforation to be slotted out in advance of cutting by said cutting edges as said punch member is caused to move toward and into said die member, and means carried by one of said handles providing a stop adapted to be'engaged by the edge of the card adjacent the perforation to be slotted out when such perforation is positioned to receive said projection, means supporting said stop for movement toward and away from said projection for adapting the punch to slotting out perforations different distances from an edge of a sorting card.

6. A plier type punch for slotting out respective perforations positioned along an edge of a sorting card to said edge comprising a pair of pivotally connected handles carrying a punch;

member and a die member respectively, said die member having a generally oblong opening therein providing a pair of substantially parallel cutting edges adapted to form the side edges of each slot to be formed, said edges being spaced apart a greater distance than the perforation to be slotted out, said punch member being generally oblong and formed to fit into said opening to effect said cutting along the said cutting edges upon movement of said punch member into saidopening, a projection integral with one of said members projecting toward the other and disposed at one end of said opening and formed to pass into the perforation to be slotted out axially of such opening in advance of cutting by said cutting edges, and means carried by one of said handles providing a stop adapted to be engaged by the edge of the card adjacent the perforation to be slotted out when such perforation is positioned to receive said projection, said projection being equally spaced from said cutting edges, the member adjacent the one carrying said projection being formed with a recess for receiving said projection upon movement of said members for slotting out such perforation, and the edges of said oblong opening at one end thereof extending at right angles to the said cutting edges providing cutting edges for forming portions of one end of the slot to be cut from the perforation that is, positioned to receive said projection.

'7. A plier type punch comprising a pair of handles respectively provided with jaws and a pivot connecting said handles and jaws at their junctures for movement of the jaws toward and away from each other upon similar movements of said handles, a die member and a punch member supported on one of said jaws only, a spring connecting said die member with said punch member and yieldably supporting them in spaced relation for movement of said punch member into said die member, means comprising the other jaw of said pair being engageable with said punch member for causing said movement of said punch member upon movement of said handles for causing said pair of jaws to move toward each other.

8. A plier'type punch comprising a pair of handles respectively provided with jaws and a pivot connecting said handles and jaws at their junctures for movement of the jaws toward and away from each other upon similar movements of said handles, a die member and a punch member supported on one of said jaws only, a spring connecting said die member'with said punch member and yieldably supporting them in spaced relation for movement of said punch member into said die member, means comprising the other jaw of said pair being engageable with said punch member for causing said movement of said punch member upon movement of said handles for causing said pair of jaws to move toward each other, said spring being wholly supported on the same jaw that supports said die member and said punch member, and means for removably securing said spring, die member and punch member on said last mentioned jaw for removal therefrom as a unit.

9. A plier type punch comprising a pair of handles respectively provided with jaws and a pivot connecting said handles and jaws at their junctures for movement of the jaws toward and away. from each other upon similar movements of said handles, a die member and a punch member supported on one of said jaws only, a spring connecting said die member with said punch member and yieldably supporting them in spaced relation for movement of said punch member into said die member, means comprising the other jaw of said pair being engageable with said punch member for causing said movement of said punch member upon movement of said handles for causing said pair of jaws to move toward each other, said spring being arranged and adapted for yieldably holding said jaws spaced apart for positioning of material to be punched between said die member and said punch member.

10. A plier type punch comprising a pair of handles respectively provided with jaws and a pivot connecting said handles and jaws at their junctures for movement of the jaws toward and away from each other upon similar movements of said handles, a die member and a punch member supported on one of said jaws only, a spring connecting said die member with said punch member and yieldably supporting them in spaced relation for movement of said punch member into said die member, means comprising the other jaw of said pair being engageable with said punch member for causing said movement of said punch member upon movement of said handles for causing said pair of jaws to move toward each other, the engagement between said other jaw and said punch member being a slidable one.

11. A plier type punch comprising a pair of handles respectively provided with jaws and a pivot connecting said handles and jaws at their junctures for movement of the jaws toward and away from each other upon similar movements of said handles, a die member and a punch member supported on one of said jaws only, a spring connecting said die member with said punch member and yieldably supporting them in spaced relation for movement of said punch member into said die member, means comprising the other jaw of said pair being engageable with said punch member for causing said movement of said punch member upon movement of said handles for causing said pair of jaws to move toward each other, said spring being generally of the leaf type and of one piece with the said die member and punch member.

12. A punch comprising a punch member and a die member complementary thereto, a spring supporting said punch member spaced from said die member for movement into the latter against the tension of said spring upon force being applied to said punch member in direction toward said die member, a projection on one of said members projecting toward the other and a recess 10 formed in said other member for receiving said projection upon said movement of said punch member into said die member, said punch member, die member and spring being formed in one piece from a single metal blank.

13. A device for slotting out any one of the enclosed perforations disposed along an edge of a sorting card to said edge comprising a pair of compleinentarily formed members one being a die member having spaced cutting edges for forming the side edges of the respective slots to be formed the other being a punch member supported for movement into and out of said die member to effect the cutting of such slots when the perforated marginal portion of a card is interposed between said members, a projection integral with one of the members of said pair and extending toward the other member of said pair, said projection being spaced from said other member of said pair and being arranged and adapted to be inserted into the perforation to be slotted out before movement for thereby holding the card in a predetermined position between said members during the slotting out of such perforation,

14;. A device for slotting out any one of the enclosed perforations disposed along an edge of a sorting card to said edge comprising a pair of complementarily formed members one being a die member having spaced cutting edges for forming the side edges of the respective slots to be formed and the other being a punch member supported for movement into and out of said die member to effect the cutting of such slots when the perforated marginal portion of a card is interposed between said members, a projection integral with one of the members of said pair and extending toward the other member of said pair, said projection being spaced from said other member of said pair and being arranged and adapted to be inserted into the perforation to be slotted out before movement for thereby holding the card in a predetermined position between said members during the slotting out of such perforations, the member of said pair opposite said projection being formed with a recess for receiving said projection during the relative movement of the die and punch members for cutting such slot,

15. A device for slotting out any one of the enclosed perforations disposed along an edge of a sorting card to said edge comprising a pair of complementarily formed members one being a die member having spaced cutting edges for forming the side edges of the respective slots to be formed and the other being a punch member supported for movement into and out of said die member to eifect the cutting of such slots when the perforated marginal portion of a card is interposed between said members, a projection integral with one of the members of said pair and extending toward the other member of said pair, said projection being spaced from said other member of said pair and being arranged and adapted to be inserted into the perforation to be slotted out before movement for thereby holding the card in a predetermined position between said members during the slotting out of such perforations, stop means carried by one of said members positioned for engaging the edge of such sorting card at spaced points adjacent the perforation to be slotted out to facilitate holding such card against rotation about the axis of such perforation during the cutting of such slot by the relative movements of said members.

ALBERT A. REMBOL'D. 

